Context and objectives. Returning home after prison represent a major turning point in the life of a criminal. For a long time, most studies on offender reintegration have focused their research efforts on factors related to individual characteristics and social influences. However, one aspect that merits further consideration is the subjective experience of offenders, that is to say, how they live and interpret the different circumstances of life they face. The objective of this project is to understand the influence of optimism on the success of reintegration.
Method. A systematic review was conducted to examine the objectives of this project. Thirteen studies were included in this review.
Results. Optimism appears to have a positive effect on reintegration. Moreover, offenders optimism is influenced by several elements. These elements include motivation, perception of the role of family and peers, sense of control, anticipation of stigma and sense of personal self-efficacy / self-esteem.
Conclusion. Optimism proves to be a key topic of interest in the field of criminology, especially in terms of reintegration. The results suggest that how offenders anticipate their return to society is essential to understand the multiple offending trajectories. Indeed, the most optimistic offenders seem to be those that are doing best when returning to society.